Shopify development: shops and apps
For most online shops I recommend Shopify. Shopify takes care of hosting, security, updates and the checkout. I set up and customize Shopify shops and build themes. I connect the shop to your other systems, and I build Shopify apps when the App Store has nothing that fits.
I'm all in on AI, so the work goes fast. I stay careful with everything that touches orders and payments. I work with shops that have no developer of their own, and with teams whose developers have never worked with Shopify.
I usually reply within one working day.
What I build on Shopify
A new shop, changes to an existing one, or a custom app.
New shops
Products and variants, collections, shipping, taxes and payments, languages and markets, and a theme that fits your brand.
Themes
I build a custom theme from your design, or I adapt a good existing theme. Your team can edit the sections themselves, and the pages load fast.
Custom apps
Apps for one shop or for the Shopify App Store. For example admin tools, custom discounts, checkout extensions or product configurators. Also anything the existing apps don't do, or don't do well.
Connections to other systems
I connect the shop to your ERP, warehouse, accounting, CRM or marketplaces through Shopify's APIs. Stock, orders and customers stay in sync.
Moving to Shopify
I move shops from WooCommerce, Shopware, Magento or a custom system. Products, customers and orders come along, and every old URL gets a redirect, so you keep your search traffic.
Speed, SEO and AI
I remove apps that slow the shop down and clean up product data for Google and AI assistants. I also add AI features, like product descriptions, translations, or a search that understands what people mean.
How I work
You don't need to have everything figured out before we talk. An idea, access to the repo, a screen recording or a list of problems is enough. I look at what is there, tell you what I would do and what it costs, and then I build it.
I use Claude Code, Codex and my own agent workflows for reading code, planning changes, writing tests, refactoring and debugging. It is not vibe coding. It is senior engineering with a much faster loop.
AI-first, on Shopify too
Claude Code and Codex are good with Shopify themes, Shopify's APIs and the boring parts of a migration. I check every change before it goes into your live shop, your orders or your checkout.
I stay in control
AI writes a lot of my code. I still make every technical decision, read every change before it ships, and test it. Fast, but meticulous: the speed is only worth something if what goes live is right.
The way you want to work
Some clients want to look at every change before it goes live, others want me to deploy. Some want a weekly call, most prefer written updates. I work well asynchronously, and I still ask the important questions when they come up.
I think like an owner
I still run my own online products. So when I build or fix yours, I think about traffic, conversion, revenue and support as much as about the code, and I tell you when something is not worth building.
Ways to work with me
Fixed price, a flat monthly rate, or hourly. It's always me doing the work, not an agency. If you're not sure, describe what you need and I'll suggest one.
Examples of my work
Projects where I built the selling part: stock, checkout, payments and the systems behind them.
Selling cars online to consumers and dealers
A marketplace that imports cars from European dealerships and adds manufacturer data. It sells online to consumers and dealers and sends the listings to other car marketplaces.
Signup and payment for a lookup service
For a reverse lookup product. People could search before they signed up. Then came a short registration and a Stripe subscription. Customers could change their plan and payment details themselves, which cut support requests.
Plans, credits and payments
Subscription billing and a credit system with Laravel Spark and Paddle for an AI platform. It has the same questions as a shop. What can people buy, what happens after they pay, and what does the customer see?
What clients say
"You have a chat, you express what you need, and he comes back with what you asked for."
"He then built exactly what was needed and kept us informed throughout. Communication was clear and proactive at all times."
"Vincent works very well asynchronously: communication stays focused, there is little unnecessary back-and-forth, and he still raises the important questions when needed."
Questions
Why Shopify and not WooCommerce?
For most shops Shopify is less work to run. You don't deal with hosting or security patches, and plugin updates can't break your checkout. WooCommerce still makes sense when the shop is a small part of a big WordPress site. I work with WooCommerce too.
Can you build an app for the Shopify App Store?
Yes. I build public apps for the App Store and private apps for a single shop. Tell me what the app should do and who would pay for it.
Do you design the shop?
I work from your designer's files, or I adapt a good existing theme to your brand. Most shops don't need a theme built from scratch.
Can you take over a shop someone else set up?
Yes. I look at the theme, the apps and the settings and tell you what I would change. Then we fix the most important things first.
Do you work with Shopify Plus?
Yes. That includes checkout extensions, where Plus allows much more than the standard plans.
How do you charge?
Fixed price for a job with a clear outcome, a flat monthly rate for ongoing work, or hourly. Describe what you need and I'll suggest one.
Get a quote
What you sell, where the shop stands today, and what you need. A few sentences are enough. I'll reply with what I would do and what it would cost.
If you would rather talk first, book a 30-minute call or email contact@vincentschmalbach.com.